Car Love

I have a car thing. I love them. I don't care about the engine, or if it has 4 wheel drive, or really anything technical about it. I just love looking at them, and I think cars are the hottest thing someone can own.

I also love going fast in cars, and I have 5 speeding tickets to prove it. (All talked down from very high amounts of money and demerit points... I have become exceptionally good at talking to police).

My 2 all time favourite cars are the Tiberon Tuscani and the Mitsubishi Lancer. I have a friend who owned a Lancer, and he totaled it.  While I consider myself a caring individual, I believe one of the first things I asked was if the car was okay.  Sadly, it wasn't. Happily, my friend walked away from the accident. 

I'm sorry, it's car love.

"Life is too short for traffic..." 

Twenty Seven Lessons

27 Things I've Learned In 27 Years

1. When a friend leaves your life for awhile, it doesn't mean they aren't a good friend.  Friends come and go. Good friends might go, but they come back too.

2. Your first time drinking with friends should never be the night before the marching band you belong to in high school has a huge parade.

 

3. People will tell you 23 years old is much to young to get married. It's not, by the way.

4. Having 2 credit cards is a bad idea when you're young and have little financial savvy.

5. Starting a brand new relationship when you are both entering college/university in different cities is not recommended.

6. Coffee, wine, and beer are an acquired taste.  A delicious, delicious acquired taste. 

7. Just Say No. It's true!

8. Money isn't the key to happiness.  However, to be happy, I think it helps to have money.

9.  Laughing loudly and often is never a bad thing.  And if someone tells you to be quiet... dump them.

10. TRAVEL.  Whenever and however you can.

11. It's okay if you think about which "Sex and the City", "Friends", or "How I Met Your Mother" character you are. (And no, it doesn't make you a hoe bag if you think Samantha!)

12. Don't go to University just to go.  College is an acceptable choice and it doesn't make you less intelligent than others.

13. Read a lot of books.

 

14. Never be ashamed if your house isn't as nice as others, or if you come from a family that doesn't have as much money as your friends.  People appreciate being invited over and no one judges as much as you think. (Your house is always more fun anyway, because spills aren't the end of the world, and your couches are almost always more comfortable!)

15. ROADTRIP!

16. Give people compliments.  It makes them feel good, you feel better... win win.

17. Never accept the wrong drink or food order.  You're paying for it, it's their fault, and it doesn't make you a bitch to get what you want.

18. Four speeding tickets should teach you to slow down. (Key word: should).

19. Good communication really is the key to all successful relationships in your life.

20. Own a dog.  They are an excellent kid substitute, teach you to think of something other than yourself, and make you feel much less alone. 

21. See your favourite bands live.  It'll renew your faith in good music, and there is something about seeing something you love with 25,000 other people thinking the same thing.

22. Marry your best friend.  Know that it isn't always going to be perfect.

23. Blended wines are the best. Gewurztraminer/Riesling is my personal favourite.

24. Don't waste so much time worrying about the size of your jeans or the number on the scale.  Confidence really is the sexiest part of a woman.

25. Try new food.  It's okay to have "old faithfuls" but don't be a snob to new experiences.

26. Every so often, have the kind of weekend where, when someone asks you what you did, you can legitimately say "Nothing." 

27. Don't be afraid of honesty.

Cheers! I'm 27 today! 

Life is good.

Birthday Bliss

It seems fitting that with my definite lack of posts for August, that the first one I do pertains to birthdays, especially because mine just happens to fall in August.

I've always had a soft spot for birthdays - I love an excuse to celebrate, and birthdays are the quintessential reason to do so.

Cake, friends, candles, celebratory drinks - what more could a girl ask for? Throw in a present or two, and life doesn't get much better.

I don't mind getting older either, although twenty-seven is MUCH closer to thirty than I like to think about.  However, thirty just means you have even more of an excuse to go all out.

I have to admit, I'm getting excited about the prospect of planning my future children's birthdays.

I have a feeling I'll be one of those moms going a bit crazy with themes, goodie bags (side bar - remember goodie bags? We need to bring those back, adult style!), big cakes, and lots of love. 

Most likely because my Mom always went out of her way to plan me the best birthdays growing up. Thanks Mom!

Birthdays - nothing beats them!

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to come..." - Robert Browning

The Big 300

Today marks a fairly significant day in my life... in my sad, pathetic little life (read bitterness, not how I actually feel every day).

Today I hit the Big Three-Oh-Oh... as in, I have now applied to 300 jobs since graduating from my University of Choice with a glowing degree.

300 job applications ago, I was still bright eyed and bushy tailed about my future.

 

300 job applications ago, I was excited about filling out forms, making myself sound as good as possible, and naive enough to think it would be a cinch to get a career.

"I have a diploma AND a degree, it'll be so easy for me! Who wouldn't want these credentials? This personality? This amazing on AND off paper gal?"

Apparently, no one.

 

300 job applications ago, I thought my life was made in the shade.

Don't get me wrong - I have a good life.  I even have a job right now that I really like.  

Unfortunately, it's seasonal and one of those "living paycheck to paycheck/no benefits" deals, so it's not quite what I imagined for myself 300 job applications ago.

So I am raising a glass (of something strong) to this landmark day, and hoping (PLEASE) that maybe, just maybe, 300 is my lucky number.

This is what my frustration looks like on the inside.

Dirty Little Secret

 I have a confession to make.

I haven't done laundry in over a month.

And to give myself the push I needed to get it all done, I decided to showcase just how bad the laundry situation has become in our home.

I'm telling you - this isn't for the faint of heart.  If you love organization and hate mess, I highly suggest you look away and immediately go stare at your neatly folded, organized, clean and colour coded closet.

Step 1 of Operation Laundry was to admit I have a problem.

Can you spot the dog? Please don't call the humane society, I promise he's well taken care of, despite this hoarder-esque monstrosity we call our "clothes room".

Yep, I definitely have a situation.

Step 2 - Dive in and sort - whites, darks, dryer only, hang only, lights, brights.... brain aneurism, check.

 This took me like a half an hour. Carter got stuck inside the room, and was extremely worried he'd never get out.  For a few minutes, I myself wondered if I was doomed to live in this room forever.

Sort success!  5 oversized loads of laundry at attention and ready to go.

(Sadly not included in these loads are jeans, towels, and sheets.) 

So in total - that is 8, count 'em EIGHT - loads of laundry.

Let me remind you that there are only 2 people living in our home.  No kids. I'm extremely worried about how we will handle that.

________________________________________________________________________

NOW... before you get completely disgusted and wonder how on earth two reasonably well dressed, hygienic, and high functioning members of society can live in such squalor, you have come to Step 3 of Operation Laundry....The Laundry Room.

 The sign I bought in hopes that my laundry room would somehow become more kitschy and whimsical. It didn't work.

Welcome to hell.

We have the world's most disgusting laundry room.

Above the washing machine hangs a lovely menagerie of cobwebs, rusty nails, and questionable liquid drips.

Our laundry room is where nightmares go to die.

So, now, can you REALLY blame me for avoiding this hole as much as possible?

I hate doing the laundry - so in the word's of Charlotte Diamond....

"The laundry, the laundry - I'm slowly going insane."

PS - I'm down 2 loads, only 6 more to go!

Oh Canada

If you know me, you know that Canada Day is my favourite day of the year.

The tradition, the love I have for my Country, the community based warmth I feel for this day is probably a little crazy, but I just Love. Canada. Day.

So however you spend today - Happy Canada Day.

"O Canada!

Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee."

I Wanna Colour

Is it sad that, as a 26 year old woman, 

all I want to do right now is grab a big colouring book 

and a fresh box of crayons and colour the afternoon away?

Decidedly not sad. 

"Colour speaks all languages" - Joseph Addison

Early Mornings

I am not an early morning person.  I do not enjoy getting out of a comfortable warm bed to face the day, especially when even the sun has deemed it too early.

However, when you and your husband have jobs that start at 7AM, and have a dog that needs to be walked before, 5:45 comes only too early every day.

So, today I tried something new.  Instead of walking quickly, and thinking about how badly I wished I was still in bed, I actually slowed down, looked around, and maybe even.... enjoyed myself?  

The sun was rising (eventually), the sky was the most beautiful shades of blue and pink, Carter was walking peacefully beside me, I could hear birds. 

I felt completely alone in the most wonderful way.

 Sunrise at Algonquin Park, 2007

My life keeps teaching me over and over again these days that the simple things in life (like a great walk or a beautiful sunrise) are the things in life that really matter.

Mom

Isn't it wonderful to have a Mother?

Yes, she might drive you crazy sometimes, make you roll your eyes or wonder what the HECK she is thinking... but at the end of the day, your Mom is one of the best people in your life.

Hug your Mom, hug your friend who is a Mom, remember kindred Moms and every lady in your life that has taught you something, helped you feel special, or made you feel at home in their home.

Happy Mother's Day Mom xo

More Than You Need

I'm currently watching Oprah, and Tom Shadyac is on.  

This man is amazing.  The following is an excerpt from his new documentary I Am, which is his story about going from "Riches to Rags" and the world's ever-growing addiction to materialism.  

The following quote literally blew me away.

 Nature is very clear on this.  There is one fundamental law that all of nature obeys, that mankind breaks every day. And the law is this;

Nothing in nature takes more than it needs.  A redwood tree doesn’t take all of the soil’s nutrients, just what it needs to grow.  A lion doesn’t kill every gazelle, just one.  

We have a term for something in the body when it takes more than its share - we call it cancer.  So that was a shock to me - that I was a part of the cancer, because I wanted to be part of the healing.

Maybe you don't need tons of stuff.  Maybe you just need what you need, and then you can focus on the things that really matter.

Hug your kids, kiss your boyfriend, talk to your soul mate.

I've Grown Up!

I think I grew up today. Just now.

Tonight, I had 2 options for what to watch on TV. 

Keeping Up With the Kardashians...

or Iron Chef America.

I picked Iron Chef.

One small step for me, one giant leap for my future.

Living a Good Week

I read this quote today in the book I'm reading (South of Broad by Pat Conroy):

"I think I'm in the middle of living a good week."

I love the whole idea of living a week.  Sometimes it's a good one, sometimes it isn't.  I think the important thing to realize is that you have to live, whatever your week brings you.  And sometimes living one week at a time is the best way to live in general. 

So, are you living a good week? I hope so.

Fat Cat, Big City

My sister is not a cat person. That is, until this "little" bundle of joy popped into her life.

He is too cute and too fat not to share him with the world.

I'm pleased to introduce you to Niki.

Don't be offended if he doesn't walk over to greet you... his 22 pound frame is a little tired.

He'll definitely bring a smile to your face!

Fanta-sy

I don't think I've ever actually had a drink of "Fanta" but their ads are making me want to.  I wish I lived in Fanta land...

It couldn't make me happier!